OverviewThe Senior Manager of Betting runs the operating side of MLS's Sports Betting and Prediction Markets business. Reporting into the Senior Director, Media Deals & Betting, this leader owns relationships with the leading gaming companies, the league-wide integrity program, league-wide compliance across all 30 MLS Clubs and MLS NEXT PRO Clubs, MLS's prediction-market sponsorship with Polymarket, and the MLS Data business operating with Sportec (supplier) and Sportradar (commercialization).
This is a senior operator role in one of the fastest-moving categories in sports. The Senior Manager is responsible for both protecting the integrity of the game and growing a commercial business in a regulated, complex, highly visible space.
Responsibilities
Industry Relationships
- Build and manage relationships with the key gaming companies across the industry, including leading sportsbooks, prediction markets, and daily-fantasy operators.
- Position MLS as a sophisticated and operationally excellent partner in the U.S. sports betting landscape.
Integrity Operations
- Work with MLS Security and Legal to manage the League's integrity operations end to end.
- Operate the Authorized Gaming Operator (AGO) program with sportsbook partners.
- Operate the Authorized Prediction Market (APM) program with prediction-market partners.
- Manage league-wide monitoring with IC360 and Sportradar; coordinate response and escalation as needed.
League-Wide Compliance
- Deeply understand MLS commercial gaming guidelines and partner with Legal to manage compliance across all 30 MLS Clubs and all MLS NEXT PRO Clubs.
- Build the training, reporting, and audit framework that keeps Clubs aligned to gaming policy and brand-safety standards.
Commercial Partnerships
- Build commercial partnerships with sports betting companies, working closely with Apple to ensure alignment with the broader media partnership and brand strategy.
- Manage the relationship with Polymarket (MLS's current Prediction Market sponsor) in partnership with MLS Partnership Marketing.
MLS Data Business
- Manage the MLS Data business, including the data supplier relationship with Sportec and the commercialization partnership with Sportradar.
- Drive growth in data partnerships, including new product opportunities, expanded use cases, and category development.
Partner Service & Growth
- Provide excellent service to MLS gaming and data partners; drive measurable growth in handle and commercial revenue across the portfolio.
- Build the regular reporting cadence that holds partners and MLS accountable to committed performance.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree required
- 7+ years of relevant experience in sports betting, prediction markets, sports data, or sports/media commercial partnerships, at a league, sportsbook, prediction-market operator, data company, or top agency.
- Direct experience operating in a regulated commercial environment with integrity and compliance requirements.
Required Skills
- Deep working knowledge of the U.S. (and ideally global) sports betting, prediction-market, and sports-data industries.
- Strong relationships across sportsbooks, prediction markets, data partners, and industry monitoring organizations.
- Sophisticated commercial and partner-management skills; able to grow a business while protecting integrity and compliance.
- Excellent organization, attention to detail, and ability to manage many concurrent workstreams.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills; can sell the program internally, externally, and at Club-level audiences.
- Action-oriented, self-motivated, and resilient; thrives in a fast-moving, regulated environment.
- Proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
- Ability to travel 25%+ and work non-traditional hours as required by tentpole moments and league events.
Desired Skills
- Existing relationships across leading sportsbooks (FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, Caesars, ESPN BET, Hard Rock Bet, Fanatics, others), prediction markets (Polymarket, Kalshi, others), and sports-data providers.
- Working knowledge of state-by-state U.S. gaming regulation and emerging prediction-market regulation.
- Familiarity with integrity-monitoring platforms (IC360, Sportradar, Genius Sports, others).
- Passion for soccer and a sophisticated point of view on the future of gaming and sports betting.
- Knowledge of Soccer or sports
Total Rewards
Major League Soccer offers a competitive starting base salary of $100,000 - $115,000, based on individual qualifications, market financials, and operational business needs. We are committed to providing a Total Rewards package that attracts, supports, engages, and retains talent. Our benefits package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a $500 wellness reimbursement, and generous Holiday and PTO schedule to promote work-life balance. We also prioritize career and professional development, offering on-the-job training, feedback, and ongoing educational opportunities.
Major League Soccer believes in the value of in-person collaboration to support teamwork, creativity, and connection. Employees in this role are expected to work a four (4) day in-office schedule, with the flexibility to work remotely one (1) day each week, based on business and department needs.